Today, 54 percent of the world’s population lives in urban areas. The UN claims that the number of people living in cities will double by 2050. In the US, more than 80 percent of people already call a city their home. Cities are increasingly hubs of innovation and influence, where ideas, policies, and products that shape the broader culture are first born. In that respect, you could argue that as cities go, so goes the world.

The growing importance of cities poses several intriguing questions. What would happen if the cities of the future were deeply and comprehensively committed to freedom? What if they were places of refuge, where traffickers couldn’t operate and where survivors of slavery could access all they need to truly heal? What if they promoted equity and opportunity to reduce the vulnerabilities of their inhabitants? What if consumer demand for freedom and transparency was so strong that businesses had to ensure their operations and products where made without slave labor? What if every sector - from business and faith to NGOs and education - were united in their aims and working in unison to make their city slave-free?

The Summit is the place where a growing tribe of individuals and organizations convene each year to explore questions like these. The people who claim membership in this tribe are diverse - thought leaders, service providers, survivor leaders, criminal justice practitioners and community members from all walks of life. Yet they are held together by a shared recognition that ending slavery is only possible if they find ways to work better and smarter, together. They are stakeholders developing solutions on the front-lines of the movement in communities and cities across the country, and their work has national and international consequence.